Opinion

Twilight Star Rises

Well, that was weird. As far as fame phenomena go, the scene on Queen West last Saturdaywas one that should probably be left to the case-studying of psychologists. It was a day that had the cast of Twilight descending, and thousands, mostly young ladies, forming, and a gale of hoots and tears promptly ensuing.

"You look a little scared," said MuchMusic VJ Sarah Taylor, at one point, to instamega-hunk Robert Pattinson. "Have we scared you?" she followed up, telegraphing nursely concern.

To be honest, he did look scared, The motion picture bloodsucker is the star of fall's loudest movie, torn from the vampiric, not-so-cult book series, Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer. And what made the spectre in Toronto so standout is that (a) the movie is not even out yet, and (b) most of the cast, including Pattison's trembling love interest, Kristen Stewart, were unknowns, oh, practically just a few weeks ago.

This was a case of fame running ahead of itself on a ski hill. This, here, was the sound of many, many hammers, etching a moment into pop culture's time. Pattison, here, was like Rudolph Valentino in 1921, or Warren Beatty in 1975, or a Spice Girl in 1996.

Pattinson, ever the voluminiously haired, shrug off the "scared" question, but his hunted eyes told another story. As did his legs, which he had up on his chair during much of the interview, in a sort of yogi position. Calling all body language experts!

By the way, did I mention that the young British star of Twilight took some cues for his anti-hero's hero from a few icons. No, not Rudolph or Warren, and no, not a Spice Girl.

He tells the airline mag America Way that he specically sought inspiration from James Dean, Jack Nicholson and French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo from that great, terribly stylish, 1960 flick Breathless.